Why US chess champ Levon Aronian is connecting with the Armenian community in Chennai

Chess grandmaster Levon Aronian, in Chennai recently, explores Armenian links in the cities he travels to.

Chess grandmaster Levon Aronian, based out of the US, has a habit whenever he travels for tournaments. He arrives three days in advance.

In the build up to the tournament, Levon becomes a solo traveller, exploring the city and connecting with the locals. That is not all: he takes a special interest in exploring Armenian landmarks and connecting with this community settled in the cities he visits.

The 42-year-old did exactly that in Chennai over the last few weeks. He was in the city for the Chennai Grandmasters classical tournament. “There’s the Armenian Street here in Chennai. I also found Armenian lettering on the cross in the church of St Thomas Mount.” The visit to the three centuries-old Armenian church in George Town, in particular, was of special interest to the chess grandmaster. “It is beautiful. The fact that it still stands and is well preserved makes me very happy.”

His fascination for keeping in touch with the community arose from a couple of meetings he had with Charles Aznavour, popular French singer of Armenian descent. “I remember talking to him in detail once about travelling the world and he said, ‘I would recommend you visit the Armenian community wherever you go, just to inspire them. For you, it is just a couple of hours, but for them, it is a memory and something that will inspire them to excel in whatever they do. I firmly believe that every person is an ambassador of his nation or country,” says Levon, who was home-schooled by his scientist parents in Armenia, then Soviet Union, and has been playing chess since he was nine.

While making giant strides in the sport is important, Levon is also deeply passionate about connecting with fellow Armenians. “It’s just something that small nations do. We try to connect and support each other.”

Though Levon loves all things Armenian, he had to shift to the US in 2021, a decision he still describes as the hardest. “I have played for Armenia for many years, winning several tournaments. Chess was extremely popular. Our previous government was in support of the sport, but when the government changed (in 2021), many things changed. I felt that they were opposing me personally, so at that phase I was left with two options: fight them, which is not something I wanted to do, or move somewhere else to continue playing chess.”

Levon chose the latter and moved lock, stock and barrel to the US to pursue his sporting dreams. “It was hard. I love my country and its people. Moving to the US was a decision made out of necessity and not out of desire,” says Levon, whose latest wins include the WR Chess Masters and the American Cup in St Louis.